Shoshonean Reunion upcoming
The 2024 Shoshonean Reunion artwork created by Curtis and Meka Hevewah.
By LORI ANN EDMO
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — The Shoshonean Reunion is August 6 to 8 at the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel, Shoshone-Bannock Jr./Sr. High School and the Delbert Farmer Festival arbor.
The theme is “Empowering Generation – Our language is strong, we are strong!”
Curtis and Meka Hevewah created the artwork that has hummingbirds around sweetgrass, a young woman with a cradleboard on her back and an elder woman.
Registration is Monday, August 5 at the Casino Hotel Events Center at 6 p.m.. A men and women’s sweat is at the same time at the Waapi Kani Cedar House.
Darla Morgan, a reunion coordinator, said “I’m excited our tribe is hosting. I look forward to meeting everybody, sharing our information to maintain our language and culture.” She’s excited to see and hear youth get involved with their tribe. Adding the Reunion is a chance to meet up, “we all have a common thing — language, this is who you are.” She referred to a story regarding language and the ancestors are calling you. “I hope the reunion inspires other tribes to have language programs.”
August 6
The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes is hosting the sunrise service Tuesday, August 6 at 6 a.m. at the east side old casino parking lot.
Registration opens at 7:30 a.m. at the Hotel Casino. A flag ceremony is at 8 a.m. in the Events Center followed by the opening starting at 8:30 a.m. Jeanette Wolfley will do a presentation on principles of sovereignty at 10 a.m. At 11:05 a.m. Environmental Waste staff is doing a presentation on mining impacts on traditional plant gathering. Events then move to Sho-Ban School where a box lunch is at noon.
The general assembly continues at 12:45 p.m. in the gym. The movie “Say Her Name” is at 12:50 p.m. with Lucie Washakie. At 1:30 p.m., the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Language and Culture Preservation Department will do Shoshone 101 with the topic development of way to teach. At 2:30 p.m. is Native American Church and history. At 3:15 p.m. Shoshone with a purpose video will be shown featuring Alfred, Brenda and Victoria Jackson.
The first group of breakout sessions start at 4 p.m. at the school: Great Basin Basket group; Projects using shells, Abrahamson family; Doll making project, Wendy Farmer; Know your family tree, SB Tribes LCPD; Plains Indian sign language, Darious Tillman; and Denewap – ways of life for women.
At 5 p.m. is the second breakout sessions with same sessions listed above again being offered.
Dinner is at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria.
Evening activities are at the Delbert Farmer Festival arbor that include traditional games – shinney games and Indian football; traditional stickgame presentation with Daeda Pevo followed by a Comanche Nation presentation.
August 7
At 6 a.m. sunrise, the Eastern Shoshone will host at the old casino parking lot. Breakfast for registered reunion participants is at 7 a.m. At 8 a.m. is the welcome and overview in the Events Center. General assembly is at 8 a.m. at 8:15 a.m. is the recognition of the 1904 Fort Shaw Women’s Basketball team. At 8:45 a.m. is the importance of language preservation (invited instructors). At 10:15 a.m. is Keepers of the Shoshonean Culture, traditions, language. At 11 a.m. is the importance of the Historical Montana Project, presenters Nolan Brown and Bailey Dann at the Event Center.
At 11:45 a.m. the youth track will depart from the hotel for activities.
Activities then move to the Sho-Ban High School. At noon is lunch in the Sho-Ban cafeteria and vendor set up.
At 1:15 p.m. breakout sessions begin at the school. They include: Denewap – way of life for men, cafeteria; Southern Ute cradleboard demo with Isabelle Cloud; Shoshone legends parallels between western and eastern; Medicinal plant project, Darlene Graham; Comanche language lesson; Things I do every day with Shoshone words, Victoria Jackson; How to bead ornaments, Kate Briner.
At 3 p.m., fry bread contest, Virginia Monsisco, coordinator, Sho-Ban High back lawn. A bow and arrow competition is also happening with Myke Moore.
At 4 p.m. is an executive committee meeting. At 5 p.m. is the traditional dinner at the school cafeteria.
Activities move to the Festival arbor – at 6:15 p.m. is an Eastern Shoshone presentation and at 7 p.m. is a Comanche presentation. At 7:45 p.m. is a Fashion Show with Wendy Farmer coordinating – traditional attire, all participants welcome. A hand drum contest follows along with the Ute Tribe Bear Dance presentation.
August 8
At 6 a.m. is sunrise service at the old casino east parking lot with the Comanche Tribe including closing prayer and flags retired. Breakfast is on your own. At 8 a.m. participants can be in the Sho-Ban Festival parade staging area Eagle Road/East Agency Road. 11:45 a.m. is the official end of the Shoshonean Reunion.
Morgan said the local reunion committee decided to have vendor booths promote and support Shoshone-Bannock artists and families through doing displays or selling crafts. Contact Lorraine Eschief via email Lorraine.eschief@ihs.gov
Participants are encouraged to bring their own chairs and those who are vending or doing displays need to bring their own tables to the Sho-Ban High School.
